Arriving in Texas!!!

Well, life is still crazy here. Really quick, i want to answer questions that you guys had.

Mom....I got my license and stuff and I did not use all the minutes. I might send it back to you because we have cell phones to use and I get to call everyone with this phone when we get to Christmas. Don't get any ideas to call me to this phone though. lol. I won't answer. And about the bike, i still have not ridden it yet. I just got it yesterday from the AP's. I'll let you know next week how i do, but as of right now, we don't really bike a lot here in Zapata. It's more walking. Maybe in my next transfer whenever in the future i'll be in an area where we bike.

Family.....Well, back to the family and everyone else who might be reading this. The food is cooked by me right now. As missionaries, we stick to soups, cup of noodles, hot dogs, sandwiches, quesadillas, etc. The basics. It's hard to get fruits and stuff because the roaches get to it no matter how safe it is protected. When i buy bananas and apples and stuff, i quickly eat them because otherwise they're gross with bugs. lol. Also, I have not yet received a Tex-Mex meal from anybody. We have very few members who never have time to cook for us or anything. Also, the other day, we had companionship training in McAllen, where all the same elders who came on the same day as me get taught by the president and the AP's. I got really depressed because everybody is getting contacts of people (our goal here in Texas is 20 people a day). Me and my companion have been getting about 5-6 contacts. Plus everyone was also getting fed amazing mexican food. They say its the best food they've ever had. I really got to the point where I was going into depression. But my companion helped me out and said there is always a reason why you're here. Read Ether 12 i think. It taught me that we have trials for a reason. I knew that, but I just had to read that again and again. It brought me to my senses because its so hard out here. Nobody cares and wants to listen, most are drunk, we can always smell marijuana and cocaine, people get deported back to mexico. lol. Our neighbor is a concaine dealer. It's ridiculous. hahaha. So mom and lig, my food is just done by me. Don't worry, my exercise is doing fine. I'm not getting bigger. I sweat gallons of sweat every day. We walk for miles. And I use Gold Bond powder because I don't want to chaff between my legs. I heard missionaries here have started bleeding right at the crotch because they don't use powder or lotions there. I don't want to know how that feels. lol. And Lig..... I know where you get those quotes you wrote in the email. lol. "Oh my gosh you're so skinny." I miss quoting movies with you, gio, and tiff. It's not the same without all of you. lol.

Anyways, oh, and mom. Roaches and rats are such a big problem. My apartment may be clean, but they still come in. Our walls have some holes and crap inside them. They will always come. It's sick. Whatever.

Take care everyone.

-Elder Velez

p.s. Ligia...Alfred hitchcock's birds? They didnt go and eat seed!! They killed people. lol. But thats funny how you related your garden with that. HAHAHA.